Ph.D. Defense of Dissertation Announcement

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TITLE: Push and Pull Menus for Auditory Interfaces

Jeff Wilson

Computer Science Ph.D. Candidate

School of Interactive Computing

College of Computing

Georgia Institute of Technology

Date: Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM EST

Location: Centergy Building, 6th Floor, IPaT – Yellow Jacket Conference Room

Committee:

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Dr. Bruce Walker, Advisor

School of Psychology and School of Interactive Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology Dr. Keith Edwards School of Interactive Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology Dr. Blair MacIntyre School of Interactive Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology Dr. Thad Starner School of Interactive Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology Dr. Carryl Baldwin Department of Psychology, George Mason University

Abstract:

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Auditory display is an often underutilized interface modality for conveying information to a user. However, audio has previously proven effective in a variety of use cases for information presentation and is particularly effective when the user is unable to attend to a visual interface, whether from a disability or a temporary constraint such as vehicle operation. In addition to auditory representations of data (sonifications), audio can also be used to represent a list of commands or menu within an interface.

This dissertation defense presents a concept for auditory menus that minimizes responses/inputs by the user as well as the number of tactile controls necessary. Such types of menus therefore limit simultaneous manual interactions when the user is also engaged with another demanding motor task. This approach to auditory menu interaction is referred to as a push menu and can be thought of as an alternative to more conventional auditory menus, which are referred to as pull menus. Push menus present menus in an automated sequence during which the user recognizes the desired menu item and makes a selection within a selection interval. In contrast, pull menus require that the user navigate via a combination of multiple navigation inputs and item selections. In this dissertation defense, research results are presented that show that a primary visual-motor task, such as operating a vehicle, is less negatively impacted by the secondary task of auditory menu interaction when the menu is a push menu rather than a pull menu.